Hospital 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: When Hospital Records launched some 16 years ago, it was primarily to focus on the more soulful side of drum & bass. While London Elektricity's imprint is now about so much more than that, many of its' releases still bristle with an expansive soulfulness. This mixed, mid-price, two-disc affair pays tribute to the label's soulful side, delivering sinewy, string-laden gems, vocal anthems, and liquid D&B classics from the likes of SPY, High Contrast, Nu:Tone, Logistics, Danny Byrd, Phuturistix and, of course, London Elektricity. Who mixed it isn't revealed, but they've done a great job; both discs ripple with melody, emotion and, of course, skittering dancefloor rhythms. This is Fast Soul Music, after all.

Review: Hospital Records has reached a milestone that few independent labels ever do: their 500th release. It's an astonishing achievement, so to mark the occasion they've put together a two-disc set of exclusives and previously unheard remixes of classic label cuts. While there are few surprises, there's plenty of heat on show, from the sparkling, summery d&b brilliance of Marky and Makoto's remix of Solah's 'Everything Is Possible', and the bowel-bothering bassline-goes-D&B mind-warp of 'Red Pill' by Flava D, to the ragga jungle-with-steel pan-melodies of Voltage's Sweet Irie hook-up 'Natty Love (Serum VIP)' and the punchy, MC-sporting peak-time weight of Iyre's 'Want No Drama (feat T-Man)'. Throw in fine contributions from Hospital mainstays London Elektricity, SPY and Logistics, and you have an excellent celebration of one of British dance music's most iconic imprints.